Ruptured
by Pulchrite
Summary: .:Short stories from To Stop the Bleeding. Most take place before the main storyline. Alternate Universe. T: violence, mature themes:. 7-Itch: Horo has worked hard to be Tamao's most trusted friend, and when she becomes drunk at a party this gives him a chance to save her. Things would be perfect between them except for one nagging reality. Yoh is always in the way.
1. Nightmares and Daydreams

**1. Ruptured: Nightmares and Daydreams**

During the hours of his captivity, Yoh has a peaceful dream about Anna.

* * *

Nightmares and Daydreams

Yoh opened his eyes very slowly as a sudden warmth flooded his senses. The wind blew gently in the distance and tickled his arms as he sat upright. The park was always beautiful this time of day; the sun's rays provided a spectacular back light for the landscape. When he heard a soft moan suddenly, he smiled and returned to the grass.

Anna had fallen asleep before him; he remembered this at least. It was irresistible. The weather was nice and cool, too comfortable to complain. He rolled over onto his side and watched as her chest gently inflated and collapsed. She rested her head on one arm, and the other hand was planted firmly in the grass. Her mouth was agape, and she appeared to be mumbling something inaudible.

He laughed at her lightly and moved closer. The blond strands of her hair fell into her face as the wind increased slightly in pace, but she didn't move. As he carefully pulled the hair away with his fingers, she slowly opened her eyes and stared at him.

"I'm sorry," he said sheepishly. "I didn't mean to wake you."

Anna didn't respond and rolled over onto her back, clasping her hands neatly over her torso. He mimicked her position, moving close enough for their shoulders to touch.

"Isn't this a beautiful day?" he asked warmly.

"Yes," she replied blankly.

There was a brief pause until he reached for her hand and squeezed it tightly.

"We'll have more days like this," he said softly, "once we get married."

She smiled but didn't speak as he continued.

"Every day will feel like this."

"How can you be so sure?" she asked with a smirk.

"Because every day with you is beautiful," he smiled. "Every day is worth living as long as you're here."

"I love you, Yoh," she said softly. "I know I don't say it often. I wanted you to know."

He was greatly surprised by her confession. The truth was that she had never told him this. It was something he was sure to remember if it happened.

"I love you too," he replied after several moments of pause. "More than you'll ever know."

She squeezed his hand gently before rolling over onto her side to stare at him. He felt the change in her position and joined her, directly meeting her eyes.

"Kiss me," she said weakly. Her eyes were beginning to fill with tears, and the display bothered him.

"What's wrong?" Yoh frowned.

She pulled him close and kissed his lips with a great sense of urgency. He wrapped his arms around her waist and returned her embrace but was startled when she quickly recoiled.

"What is it, Anna?" he asked worriedly.

"You're dreaming," she replied quickly.

"What?" He seemed confused by her answer and frowned.

"Yoh, wake up." Her voice was soft but stern, and she didn't look at him.

"I don't understand," he mumbled.

"WAKE UP!"

The demand was accompanied by a swift blow to his face. His eyes opened as some sort of involuntary action, and he noticed Tamao standing in front of him clutching a knife in her hand. Before he could react in any way, however, she drove the blade hard into his left thigh and took a step back.

"I SAID, WAKE UP!"

He didn't realize his strength wasn't completely gone until he began screaming. His limbs shook violently as he stared wide eyed at her stomach. Although his body was now trembling from the shock, he couldn't seem to move his eyes away from her. Tamao folded her arms over her torso loosely and stared at the handle that was still protruding from his leg, and as the blood saturated his pants and began dripping onto the floor, she tilted her head and frowned.

"Did that hurt?" she asked him softly.


	2. My Brother's Keeper

**2. Ruptured: My Brother's Keeper**

Yoh's friends know his brother is very protective of him, but a random encounter one afternoon teaches them Hao's definition of the word.

* * *

My Brother's Keeper

The restaurant was oddly crowded for mid morning. Manta was barely able to secure his friends a table, and much to Ryu's disgust the booths were full. The rectangular table had five chairs surrounding it with one chair on the end facing the window. Ren decided to sit in this chair because he didn't want to sit next to the other men and enjoyed watching people pass by on the sidewalk outside of the establishment. Manta sat to the left of him, since he had no preference, and Ryu sat beside Manta near the window. Horo sat directly across from Manta, and Lyserg opted to sit near the window across from Ryu. He wanted to sit as far away from Ren as possible, and his friends did not protest the action.

"I'm so hungry," Horo moaned as he rubbed his stomach.

"This may take forever," Ryu replied. "Why are they so busy today?"

"We can go somewhere else," Manta suggested. "Maybe somewhere less crowded."

"We're here now," Ren said sternly. "Deal with it."

"So where's Yoh?" Ryu asked. "Manta, I thought you said he was coming?"

"Oh, no," he sighed. "He had to do something with his brother today."

Silence enveloped the table with an uncomfortable tension, and Manta frowned.

"Why do you always do that when I mention Hao?" He was directing the question at all of them but staring at Lyserg's grave expression.

"Honestly," Ryu said weakly, "that guy bothers me. I can't even tell you why."

"I can tell you why," Horo added quickly. "He's creepy."

"Oh, I don't know," Manta rebutted. "I've met him a few times, and he seems nice."

"He's overprotective," Lyserg said calmly. "Extremely overprotective."

"Of Yoh?" Manta frowned.

"You haven't noticed?" Horo sighed. "He's borderline possessive. And, it's creepy."

Ren didn't respond but narrowed his eyes as he stared out of the window. His friends knew his opinion of Hao; he didn't have to tell them. As much as he liked Yoh, he hated his brother. And, that would probably never change.

"Yoh's his brother," Manta countered. "I mean, you're protective of Pirika too."

"Yeah, but," Horo rolled his eyes, "Pirika's my little sister. And, she's a girl. Yoh and Hao are twins. He's, what, two minutes older than Yoh? And, Yoh's a guy. It just doesn't make any sense to me."

"That's not what bothers me about him," Ryu said, slightly altering the focus of the subject. "He's too calm."

"How is that a bad thing?" Manta frowned.

"When someone is that calm," Lyserg explained, "they're extremely unpredictable. You don't know what they're thinking or feeling. That can be dangerous."

"It makes me uncomfortable," Ryu added. "He's never happy, sad, angry or anything. It's just this calmness. It's-"

"Creepy," Horo groaned.

"It's not calmness," Ren said finally. "It's arrogance."

The sudden noise of background chatter filled their table as they stared at him in silence.

"He's an arrogant bastard who hasn't met his match yet," he continued with slight irritation. "That's all there is to it."

"I don't know why you hate him so much," Horo teased. "You two are just alike."

"I'm nothing like that man," he seethed.

"Are you kidding?" Ryu complained. "If this is arrogance with him, he's a mirror image of you. You're the most arrogant man I know."

Manta giggled at the comment and scratched his head. Lyserg stared out of the window with a frown. He noticed the man entering the restaurant with a quickened pace but didn't say anything.

"I don't want to talk about this anymore," Ren groaned. "Let's look at this menu."

"I think he hates Hao because he's intimidated by him," Horo whispered.

"Yeah," Manta agreed.

"Men don't intimidate me," Ren growled. "Don't be ridiculous. If I wanted to-"

"Hao," Lyserg interrupted weakly.

"What?" Ryu asked with a frown.

No one saw him approach the table until he was standing beside Ren. His long auburn hair crashed against his back with escaping strands onto his shoulders. He didn't speak, nor did he address anyone at the table. But, with one swift motion he grabbed a large section of Ren's hair and twisted the violet strands aggressively until he was falling out of the chair.

Manta gasped at the violent display but the others seemed caught in a frozen trance as Ren was dragged ruthlessly out of the restaurant. Hao was holding him with one hand, which seemed abnormally strong, and Ren couldn't seem to free himself despite his kicking and punching the air.

After brief seconds of hesitation, Ryu jumped up from his seat and ran outside after them. The others followed after the shock began to wear off, and Lyserg was the last to leave. The restaurant patrons stared at him in horror; some were whispering and gasping, and others were leaning against the windows to watch the fight.

When Lyserg arrived outside the others were huddled around with horrified looks on their faces. Hao had been kicking and stomping Ren in the head, chest, back and stomach repeatedly, and each blow was increasingly stronger than the one before it. No one had the will to stop it, however. They were too afraid.

It was a fear they all resented, but for some reason it could not be shaken.

"Hao, stop it!"

Her voice startled them, but they didn't turn to see her. Hao paused momentarily after kicking Ren in the face and stared at her.

"Anna, I told you to wait in the car," he said calmly.

"Stop this!" she demanded. "What are you doing?"

Ren curled his knees into his chest and rested his hand flat against the pavement. The pain in his body was unbearable, and he groaned weakly as he slowly licked drops of blood from the corner of his mouth.

"Hao, I told you let it go," she growled. "I told you to stay out of it-"

"Get back in the car, Anna," he interrupted coldly. "Now."

Manta stared at him with widened eyes and held his breath. No one ever talked to Anna like that and got away with it. Surely this was going to be the end of his life.

She clenched her teeth and closed her eyes briefly before abruptly walking away. Manta, Ryu and Horo gasped simultaneously. This was impossible. It was simply unheard of. Why was she being so obedient? This made absolutely no sense. Was Hao so powerful that he intimidated everyone, including Anna?

Hao silenced their random thoughts by pushing Ren's face against the pavement and holding it securely with his foot. His face flushed burgundy from the pressure, and he moaned weakly beneath him.

"Listen to me very carefully, Tao." Hao's voice was incredibly calm despite the circumstance. "Anna is my brother's fiancè. I don't think you understand that concept, so allow me to explain it."

He pushed his foot further into the side of Ren's face, and he screamed from the pain. Manta held his breath and covered his mouth with his hand.

"If you ever touch her again," he bent over and released more of his body weight into the move, "say anything to her, or look at her in any way I don't like, I'll kill you. Do you understand me?"

Ren mumbled something inaudible under his breath. Hao stood abruptly, removing his foot. The pause was brief; he kicked him in the face, and he fell onto his back hard against the pavement. Gasps in the background didn't disturb his movements as he stood over him and leaned into his face, pulling a knife out of his pocket.

"We have to stop this," Ryu said finally but was ignored.

Hao slashed the sharp blade against his chest in a merciless display, opening a diagonal wound from the middle of his torso to his left shoulder. Ren screamed involuntarily from the piercing slice and widely opened his eyes.

Manta fell to his knees and stared at them in terror. Horo and Ryu seemed caught in the same awful trance, and Horo's limbs began to tremble. Lyserg's blank expression did not change, and his arms were now folded over his chest.

"I hope you were paying attention, Tao. I won't repeat it."

There was something about the way Ren's name rolled off of his tongue that was menacing and terrifying. He even flinched when Hao spoke to him again, and his eyes began to fill with tears.

"When you decide to cross Yoh, you cross me. Do you understand?"

"Yes," he said weakly after a few seconds of silence.

"Good," Hao replied cheerfully and tapped his forehead playfully with his hand. "Have a nice day."

He smiled at him and walked away, but Ren was unable to move from his position against the pavement. Horo, Ryu and Manta stared at Hao with shocked expressions of horror, but he did not address their discomfort.

"Hi, Manta," he said warmly. "Nice seeing you again."

"Hao," Manta replied timidly.

"We're going for ice cream," Hao added. "Why don't you come with us?"

"Okay," he whispered.

He couldn't say no; he was too afraid to refuse.

"Great," he smiled. "Let's go."

Manta stood slowly, realizing he was still on his knees. Horo motioned for him not to move, mouthing the words, "He's crazy" silently. Hao paused momentarily and randomly kicked Ren in his side. Ren closed his eyes and seemed to be losing consciousness, but Hao walked away from the bloodied man casually. Manta followed him reluctantly, and no one moved until they were a sizable distance away. Ryu ran quickly to Ren's side and tried helping him sit up. Horo pulled out his keys and rambled about hospitals and the police.

Lyserg was the only one who didn't move. He stared at them without changing his vague expression, and after a few moments of pause a small smirk covered his lips. This was probably a bad reaction to have, but he simply couldn't help the irony. And, there was an obvious point they all seemed to be missing.

Ren deserved this beating in Lyserg's mind. He had it coming for months and-

"It's about time."


	3. Elephant

_**3. Ruptured: Elephant**_

Anna suddenly realizes a growing problem in her relationship with Yoh has a name. And, she's triggering Anna's jealousy.

* * *

Elephant

While sitting on her futon staring blankly at the television screen, Anna remembered the first time Yoh ever kissed her. The incident was incredibly unplanned and forgettable, but for some reason she couldn't shake the memory from her mind. It was a cool day in March, a Friday with heavy rain. There was no one in the house; everyone wanted to get away from her, deciding to take an overnight trip to a neighboring city. Tamao had been tricked into going by Horo and Pirika, but with that exception they were all willing to take a vacation. But Anna wasn't offended by the action. She was sick of them anyway, and needed some peace. Having silent moments were rare there; the other occupants made too much noise throughout the day and increased her stress level. So Anna decided this would be a vacation from the source of her irritation. This would be the time for her to relax. The warm shower would be her spa, and her bed would be the vehicle for meditation.

There was one problem, and it presented itself as soon as she began heading toward the bathroom. Noise. Small scratches down the hallway accompanied by light footsteps. The house wasn't completely empty, she determined. As anger began to cloud her brain, she stormed down the hallway to discover the source. When she opened the door that led into the sitting room, she paused and frowned. Yoh was staring back at her with a frightened expression holding a DVD case in his hand.

"What are you doing here?" she growled.

"What?" he replied sheepishly.

"You heard me," she added sharply.

"Um..." He hesitated as if deciding whether or not to lie but continued after nervously exhaling. "I was going to watch a movie."

"Why aren't you with the others?" Anna realized she had to rephrase the question, and this thought increased her frustration.

"I didn't want to go," he replied. "It's raining, and...well..."

"Spit it out," she demanded.

"I wanted to stay with you."

Anna paused and tilted her head. Her frown quickly softened, and the silence enveloped the room with great awkwardness. She realized suddenly that she was being unnecessarily mean to him. They were alone, and she made a habit of being much softer when no one was around. Yoh understood she had to be harsh in public. She didn't want people to think she was weak.

No, he really didn't understand it. He went along with it because it created a slight challenge. Horo often told him he was a fool for putting up with her attitude, and Tamao always expressed concern she was being abusive. But, they didn't spend the intimate time with her that he did. The others in the house never saw the vulnerable side of Anna. The endearing, alluring Anna.

And, perhaps they never will.

"What movie is it?" she asked in a much softer tone as she took a few steps forward.

"Finding Forever," he replied with a smile.

"What is that?" She judged movies by title choices and knew from the sound of it she would hate it.

"It's a movie Tamao told me about," he replied. "She said Malken made her watch it one day, and it was romantic."

"A love story?" she asked before clearing her throat.

"I haven't watched it yet." Yoh scratched his neck as he spoke. "I wanted us to watch it together."

"Fine." Although the tone of her voice seemed reluctant, he knew she wanted to spend the time with him. Or, at least he hoped.

They sat on the floor in front of the television, but Anna quickly repositioned against the surface. Yoh noticed she was lying on the floor with her head propped against an open palm and held her weight secure with her elbow. He sat with his legs folded beside her and eventually moved closer so she could rest her head against his thigh.

The movie was longer than he expected, almost approaching three hours, but she didn't complain. He watched her expressions mostly; he really had no interest in the movie. This was an excuse to be near her. He laughed at her gently as she gasped a few times and mumbled random things under her breath. The main character in the movie had many misfortunes; he lost his wife and unborn son in a car accident at the beginning, fostering sympathy during the entire film. He met a woman during the feature who was perfect, and he fell for her immediately. But because of his guilt and grief he couldn't move on. She wanted to wait for him, but he spent the entire movie pushing her away. Anna scolded him most of the time and didn't notice when Yoh began slowly running his fingers through her hair.

When they reached the ending, Anna was sitting upright beside Yoh resting on her knees. She clutched the fabric of her dress in her hands and watched wide eyed as the man finally told the woman his true feelings. This should have been a fitting end, but after he confessed his love for her, she died the following day.

"What?" Anna screamed at the television screen suddenly and Yoh flinched. "Why would they do that? Why would they make his life this miserable? What's wrong with them?"

"That was unexpected," Yoh agreed weakly as the ending credits began filling the faded scene.

"That wasn't romantic at all!" Anna replied with a frustrated scowl. "That was terrible!"

"I wouldn't move on if you died," he said randomly. "I couldn't."

"What?" His statement shook her out of the frustration, and she stared at him with warm eyes.

"I'm just saying," he sighed. "I don't want anyone else."

For as long as she could remember there was nothing anyone could do or say to her that would make her speechless. But, Yoh was able with one simple sentence to do the impossible. She stared into his eyes silently for several seconds until he held her hand.

"Are you serious?" she asked weakly.

"Of course," he replied. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

The statement caught her off guard, and this was visible in her expression. He smiled at her warmly, seemingly amused by her silence, and slowly moved the hair away from her face with his free hand.

"Why?" she blurted. The question was unintentional, but he deliberated carefully before supplying an answer.

"Because..." he paused, "I love you."

Anna tried to respond, but shock seemed to overwhelm her. This was the first time he ever said those words; she knew because she waited every day since they became officially engaged for him to say them.

"You...love me?" she repeated softly.

"Is that bad?" he asked hesitantly.

"It depends," Anna pulled away from him weakly and folded her arms together loosely.

"On...what?" Yoh scratched his head nervously as he waited for her answer and slowly exhaled.

"Your definition of love," she answered plainly. "It may not be the same as my definition."

"I don't understand," he mumbled weakly.

"You said you love me," she explained, "but what does that mean to you?"

He stared at her with apprehension and took another deep breath.

"Did you understand the question?" Anna added impatiently.

"I like being with you," he started thoughtfully. "I like spending time with you, and when you're not around I miss you. I think you're beautiful, and I like watching you sleep. You make me feel happy, even when you yell at me. And even when we don't talk much, I think you understand what I'm thinking or how I feel. The thought of becoming your husband is exciting, and I want to make you happy. Because...when you're happy so am I."

Anna didn't respond quickly, and this suddenly made him uneasy.

"So...I guess that's what I mean when I say that," he said slowly. "I love you."

"Kiss me."

Yoh's eyes widened slightly when she made the request, and his hands began to tremble.

"If you love me," she elaborated, "this shouldn't be a problem."

Anna didn't move when he slowly approached, and her eyes remained open until he leaned into her face. He lingered in front of her for several seconds, and she could feel the quivering of his lips when he planted them gently against hers. Something unexpected overwhelmed her senses briefly, and she relaxed her shoulders when he rested his hands on them. She returned the affectionate display with slightly more pressure, and when she shifted her body closer he wrapped his arms slowly around her waist.

"Stop," she said abruptly and pushed him back.

Yoh stared at her with confusion but decided not to be offended. He waited for her to say something else but began smiling when noticing her rose flushed face.

"Are you okay?" he asked calmly.

"I'm fine," she replied quickly.

He tried to resume eye contact, but for some reason she refused to look at him, instead opting to stare at the floor.

"Are you...embarrassed?" he asked with a grin.

"Shut up," she snapped.

"Well, what about you?" Yoh countered. "Do you love me?"

"Yes." Anna was deeply surprised at how quickly she offered her answer and was still recovering from his kiss. She underestimated him. How could she possibly know Yoh would turn out to be a great kisser and that his soft lips would pull her into a trance?

"Well...kiss me," he added with a smile then said sarcastically, "If you love me, this shouldn't be a problem."

"Anna? Um...Anna? Anna."

Anna recognized the annoying voice immediately; Tamao disrupted her daydream beyond repair, and she was suddenly irritated.

"There's tempura in the kitchen if you get hungry later," she said timidly.

"Whatever," Anna snapped. "Get out."

"You're very moody today."

Anna closed her eyes upon hearing the sly remark and knew Yoh wasn't in her proximity. Ren was sitting on the floor beside the futon, and he was close enough to rest his arm on her thigh.

"Leave me alone," she barked angrily and pushed him.

Tamao was standing behind the futon with her hands nervously clasped together. She walked in only to tell Anna about the food, but now she was unsure of how to exit. Ren didn't address her uneasiness, and he poked Anna in the hip when she snapped at him.

"Um..." Tamao added, "we're leaving in a few minutes, so-"

"Who?" Anna demanded.

"Hey, Anna!" Yoh called cheerfully as he entered the room. "We're leaving now."

"Where are you going?" she asked bitterly. Ren smiled at Tamao but didn't respond.

"To the movies," Yoh replied. "I told you yesterday."

"Whatever," she mumbled.

"We'll probably go to dinner after the movie," he continued. "Do you want us to bring anything back for you?"

"No," she replied quickly.

"Okay." He smiled, seemingly oblivious to the tension. "Let's go, Tamao."

"You two have fun," Ren said with an amused grin.

Tamao blushed uncontrollably and nodded. "Okay."

Anna clenched her teeth when she exited the room with Yoh, and she tightened her hands into fists once they heard the front door open and close.

"I can't believe you let them go," Ren sighed. "You do understand what's happening here, don't you?"

"What are you implying?" she growled.

"I don't have to imply anything." He sat beside her on the futon, forcing her partially into his lap. "It's obvious what she's doing."

Ren's statement forced a flood of feelings she didn't want to admit violently to her mind. He was right; this irritated her the most. But, his annoying comment enforced one simple reality.

Yoh was spending too much time with Tamao in Anna's mind. And, she definitely didn't like it.


	4. Knight

**4. Ruptured: Knight**

He was her knight in shining armour, and he could save her from anything. If only she would let him.

* * *

Knight

The car ride was unbearably silent. Pirika pulled the hem of her blue skirt weakly and clasped her hands in her lap. She was weary from arguing but knew this was definitely not the end. Glancing over briefly to observe his expression, she exhaled loudly when noticing his blank stare. Ren was ignoring her on purpose, she concluded, and they would probably continue this stalemate for at least a few days. But, for some reason this silence increased her irritation. The collar of her white shirt was beginning to itch her neck, and the seat belt seemed to choke her torso. She couldn't stand the blank noise any longer. They needed to make some progress before the car stopped, or it would be-

"Do you intend to just ignore me for the rest of the day?" She blurted the question in irritation.

He didn't respond and tightened his grip on the steering wheel.

"Ren, I apologized to you," she pleaded. "And, I don't even know why I had to. Why do you always do this?"

The agitation was visible in his expression as he slowed the car, but he continued to drive in silence.

"Answer me," she demanded. "I'm talking to you."

"I don't want to hear anything else from you," he responded finally.

"This doesn't make any sense," she groaned. "We're in a relationship, in case you forgot. We're supposed to communicate."

"Do I need to rephrase it?"

"What?"

"Shut up."

She opened her mouth to respond but paused as he pulled out of his lane and parked the car on the side of the road.

"What are you doing?" she whispered. The Inn was another ten minutes away, and she was bothered by the move.

He rested his hands in his lap loosely and stared at the dashboard with piercing eyes. Pirika scratched her neck nervously and sighed heavily before deciding to speak again.

"Ren, we're in the middle of-"

"You don't know how to follow instructions," he interrupted angrily. "And when to stop talking."

"I'm not a child," she replied bitterly. "You-"

Pirika hit the side of her head against the window suddenly and paused her statement. The throbbing quickly resonated down her neck, and she blinked slowly as if needing to readjust. A stinging pain quickly cloaked the opposite side of her face, and she clenched her teeth.

"I didn't tell you to respond," he continued sternly, "but, as always, you couldn't help yourself."

She stared at the dashboard weakly as her eyes filled quickly with tears. The stinging prevented her from responding, and she was still partially in shock.

_Did he hit me?_

Ren was still speaking to her, but random thoughts clouded her brain and disrupted her ability to focus. Although this wasn't the first time, the shock still seemed to overwhelm her. It wasn't something to grow accustomed to, and the situation presented the same dilemma as before.

She didn't know what to do.

"You know perfectly well what this is about," he continued. "And, you'll do it again because you're too stubborn for your own good."

He was wrong. Pirika couldn't remember at all now what caused this argument. Perhaps this was part of the issue. Once the pain was evident, her brain was mostly unable to focus on anything else. She was confused, but fear quickly clouded this emotion as she contemplated whether or not to respond.

"You don't have anything to say?" Ren asked after several seconds of silence. "No sarcasm? No attitude?"

"What is wrong with you?" Pirika didn't intend to ask the question and closed her eyes after realizing the mistake.

The pause was torturous. His silence increased her discomfort, and she stared at the passenger door handle weakly as she waited for a response.

"You're pissing me off for no reason," he growled. "Maybe that's what's wrong."

"We don't have to do this now," she sighed. "Let's just go to the Inn."

"You're dismissing me now?"

"No, I-"

"You brought it up!" he yelled at her but quickly changed his tone. "You wanted to have this argument, so now you have it."

"I don't want to fight with you, Ren," she said sadly as a single tear escaped her eye. "I'm sorry. Can we just let it go for now?"

"You don't want to fight with me?" he repeated sarcastically. "I find that hard to believe, Pirika."

"Ren, please," she sighed and closed her eyes. "Let it go."

"Fine," he growled. "I'll let it go."

Pirika glanced briefly at his lap but couldn't lift her eyes any further. She was afraid of his expression and knew this was some kind of set up.

"Get out," he continued sternly.

"What?" she asked weakly. "I can't."

"You can walk the rest of the way," he explained.

"You can't kick me out of the car in the middle of the-"

He slapped her again, and she whimpered weakly from the stinging.

"Do you want me to help you?" he asked softly.

Pirika obeyed his request reluctantly, slowly stepping out of the car and staring at a nearby tree. There was nothing more humiliating than being dragged out of a car; she didn't want that kind of display this close to the Inn. When she gently closed the passenger door he sped away; the screeching of his tires burned her ears and conjured more tears. As she stared down the street in partial shock terrible pangs of discomfort rummaged her stomach. Part of her brain expected something like this to happen, but an overwhelming majority of it couldn't believe he actually left. She knew if she stood there long enough he would turn around and come back for her, but did she really want to get back into his car?

She began walking toward the Inn. This trip would take at least thirty minutes, and she wanted to get it over with. The tears continued to surface around her eyes, but she was angry for not being able to keep them away. After several minutes the familiar black sedan returned, and she held her breath.

The Inn was only a few blocks away now. She didn't have to take the ride.

Ren rolled down the passenger side window and stared at her as he slowed the car to match her pace. Pirika tried to ignore him but knew he wouldn't accept it.

"You said I could walk," she said bitterly without looking at him.

"I changed my mind," he replied warmly. "You look tired."

She didn't respond and increased her pace. Ren's mood swings would be the death of her someday. In her heart she knew this but-

"Come on," he sighed. "Get in."

"I'm almost there," she replied weakly. "No thank you."

"I didn't ask if you wanted a ride," he added sternly. "I said get in."

"You can't make me do anything," she mumbled bitterly under her breath, and as the statement escaped she suddenly feared he heard it.

"Don't be stupid," he said as his voice increased in irritation. "Get in the car."

He parked along the curb suddenly and she stopped her pace.

"Apologize to me and I'll get in," she suggested sadly. "You owe me that at least."

"I'm sorry, Pirika." Ren's voice was painfully weak, and she suddenly grew nauseous.

Pirika knew he didn't mean it but ignored her instincts. Perhaps she was so used to the dysfunction it was easier to just deal with it. Ren watched as she slowly sat in the passenger seat and closed the door without looking at him.

"Smile," he requested.

Her lips curved slightly although her eyes remained narrowed and irritated. Ren pulled away from the curb again and drove much slower than before.

"When we get there," he sighed agitatedly, "behave yourself. Do you think you can manage that?"

"Yes," she replied weakly but then mumbled under her breath, "I hate you."

The remainder of the ride took exactly forty five seconds; Pirika counted them silently. She waited until the car came to a complete stop but quickly unbuckled her seat belt before he could remove the key from the ignition. He knew she was in a hurry to leave the car, and as she opened the passenger door he roughly grabbed her arm.

"What is it?" she asked innocently, although her expression revealed her resentment.

"Are you angry with me?" he asked calmly and dug his fingernails into the skin.

"No," she replied quickly, "I just want to get inside."

"The truth, please," he groaned.

"Sometimes you act like a child," she mumbled under her breath and looked away.

He laughed for a few moments and didn't respond.

"Let go of me," she growled but quickly changed her tone, "please."

He was distracted suddenly as Pirika yanked the door handle. Her frustration boiled over quickly, and she began hitting the side panel with a weak fist. Ren released her, and she quickly exited the car. He followed her to the front door in silence, and when she stopped there to knock he wrapped his arms around her from behind.

Pirika closed her eyes. She couldn't move freely; he was making her angry. As he whispered something in her ear and kissed her on the cheek she clenched her teeth and began wriggling her torso. He released her and pushed her forward violently; she hit her head against the heavy door.

"We'll talk about this later," he said calmly.

She leaned against the door weakly for several seconds until hearing noises from inside the house. Taking a few steps back and quickly wiping her face with the sleeve of her shirt her expression quickly morphed into an eager smile when the door opened. Ren displayed the same change and her held her back with his hand.

"Hey Sis," Horo said calmly as he moved away from the door to allow them entrance.

"Hi," she said cheerfully.

They walked down the front hallway into the dining room where Anna, Yoh and Manta where sitting. Manta spoke to them first, and Yoh waved. Anna decided to ignore them altogether and left abruptly to the kitchen.

"I thought you weren't coming, Ren," Horo said and scratched his head. "You're always at work."

"I took the day off," he replied and sat in one of the chairs beside Manta.

"Is Lyserg here?" Pirika asked with a slight frown.

"Yeah," Yoh replied, "but I'm not sure where."

"Okay." She smiled at them and made her way slowly into the kitchen where Anna was leaning against one of the counters, and Tamao was pulling a long pan out of the oven.

"Everything's ready," she said with a smile.

"Do you need any help?" Pirika offered.

"No...um...it's okay," Tamao replied. "I can handle it."

"Lyserg is upstairs," Anna said blankly. "He's been waiting for you."

The statement sent chills through her body, and she left the room without responding. Passing through the dining room increased her uneasiness, and Ren stared at her until she exited. She didn't want to say anything else to him for the rest of the day and wanted desperately for him to leave. As she slowly ascended the staircase, the thought of Lyserg waiting for her remained on her mind. He seemed connected to her somehow; Lyserg always wanted to talk to her when she felt she needed him. When she found him in one of the empty bedrooms, she entered slowly and closed the door.

"Hi," he said warmly and slowly approached.

"Hi," she replied and exhaled.

Silence enveloped the room as they stood in front of each other. She clasped her hands neatly in front of her and watched his expression. He seemed calm in comparison to her uneasiness and wore a loose beige shirt with brown trouser pants. It was a very causal outfit since he always wore suits, and she didn't know why she focused on it.

"How are you?" he asked and took a few more steps forward.

"I'm...okay." She paused and stared at the floor but then darted her eyes to a nearby wall.

"Are you sure?"

"Ren...frustrates me," she blurted angrily. "Sometimes I hate him. He's so-"

"What happened?" Lyserg stepped closer until he was inches in front of her face and stared at her with great concern.

"Nothing," she sighed. "I don't know. We argue all the time now; I don't know why. And-"

"I meant...what happened to your face?"

"What?"

Lyserg gently ran his fingers over her forehead and pulled her hair away from the skin. Without the blue strands blocking the light, the purple and black bruises were perfectly visible. She grimaced as he touched them but quickly pulled away.

"It's complicated," she said bitterly.

He didn't respond immediately, and his piercing eyes were unbearable to match. She then wondered why he was so incredibly observant with her. She spoke to everyone in the house, and no one else seemed to notice. Her brother didn't even notice. Or, maybe they did notice and decided not to say anything. Maybe they were talking about her behind her back while she was away-

"It's nothing," she added. "I'm fine."

"Don't tell me it was an accident," Lyserg said gravely.

"It was," she protested. "I'm very clumsy at times, Lyserg. You know that."

"You've never been clumsy," he sighed. "And, I've never seen you lie this much before."

She paused and weakly stared at the wall. Was she that transparent? He could tell she was lying, and she thought she did it very well. Pirika didn't want to have this conversation, but it was apparent he would not let it go.

"If he's beating you, that's a problem," he continued gravely.

"No," she sighed and waved her hands. "Don't say it like that. It's not like that. He's not _that_ guy."

"Okay." Lyserg was irritated suddenly, and she knew it. "He hits you sometimes. Was that better?"

"Lyserg," she mumbled.

"How occasional is this?" he demanded. "Once per year? Monthly? Every day?"

"Stop," she sighed.

"You're right," Lyserg added as his voice elevated. "It doesn't matter. Because once is too many."

"I don't want to talk about this," Pirika pleaded. "Just drop it."

"Come with me."

He grabbed her arm suddenly and lead her into the hallway. She tried to pull away from him, but his grip was too strong, and she sighed when they entered the bathroom.

"Lyserg, let it go," she said sadly.

He forced her in front of the mirror over the sink and stood behind her so she couldn't flee. She looked away for several seconds, but the longer they stood there the more uncomfortable bending her neck became. Lyserg pulled her hair away from her face again and rested his hands against the sink. She glanced at his hands before lifting her head, and avoiding the large glass became nearly impossible.

"Look at that," he whispered weakly. "Pirika...look at your face."

The bright light made the wounds difficult to ignore. She could even see the older ones from her neck clearly in the mirror. The sight was uncomfortable, and as her eyes began to fill with tears she looked away.

"That is not normal," he said softly. "A normal relationship doesn't function like this."

"I don't want to see it," she moaned weakly.

He backed away from the sink so she could leave, but she didn't move.

"Leave," he blurted. "You don't deserve to be treated this way. No one does. Just leave him."

"I can't," she whispered.

"Please don't tell me you can't leave because you love him," he groaned. "I won't be able to stomach an answer like that."

"You don't understand," she sighed.

"Ren is not the same person he used to be. You know that, Pirika. You don't know who he is anymore, and that's dangerous."

"I can't leave," she said weakly. "I know he loves me. We just have to figure out-"

"He'll kill you," Lyserg blurted angrily. "That's how much he loves you, Pirika."

"That's not fair." She walked away from the sink and toward the door when he grabbed her arm.

"This is not worth it," he pleaded. "No relationship is worth being beaten. I don't care how much you think you love him, Pirika. Use your brain."

"I know you're trying to help," she sniffed, "but you're blowing this out of proportion."

"Are you serious?" he yelled. "How can you say that?"

"Lyserg, this isn't your fight," Pirika sighed and paused. "Let me handle it."

He released her arm slowly but hugged her tightly, lingering for several seconds.

"I'll always be here for you, Pirika," he said sadly.

"I know," she replied. "Thank you for being a good friend."

Lyserg allowed her to walk away but decided after a few seconds of pause to follow her. She reentered the bedroom instead of going downstairs, and he followed her inside.

"I need a nap," she said weakly. "Will you stay with me?"

"Sure," he replied with a saddened smile.

He was worried, and she knew it. But, there was no way she could make him understand. She had to deal with this on her own, and as tempting as having Lyserg save her seemed, she knew she had to find her own way.


	5. Aftermath

**5. Ruptured: Aftermath**

A deleted scene concerning Tamao's transformation. Contains spoilers.

* * *

Aftermath

The thoughts in her head remained a tangled web of garbled memories laced with fabricated fantasies she was incapable of deciphering. She hated feeling this unhinged but couldn't seem to calm herself down. As she paced wildly up and down the hallway of the second floor, her hands trembled. She tried squeezing them; the movement didn't help. Her face felt hot, especially with the long strands of her pink hair falling heavily against her neck. It was uncomfortable. Everything was uncomfortable. Her shirt itched her skin so bad she wondered if she had some encounter with poison ivy the day before. Her mind was restless. She couldn't focus. She needed to focus so badly. Frustration morphed quickly into confusion; confusion to sadness; sadness to anger.

She needed a release.

Her old bedroom was only a few doors away, but she ran for it as if being chased. There were voices telling her not to go, but she wasn't sure where they were coming from and was too afraid to ask. As she entered the small space she slammed the door and leaned her back against it while taking sharp breaths. She couldn't breathe properly. She was having a heart attack. A panic attack. Her body was shutting down. The cold sweat beads gathered at her forehead, and goosebumps littered the skin of her arms. The mumbling noises she made under her breath didn't help. She couldn't understand what she was trying to say. Things were spiraling out of control, and she couldn't stop it. The beige walls began to close in around her, crushing the bed and dresser. She panicked again, screaming for them to stop, but they continued without her consent.

She couldn't breathe.

The door seemed to open involuntarily, but she bolted into the hallway and stumbled clumsily away from the room. Pain in her chest grew worse. She didn't know what to do. The house was completely empty; there was no one who could help her. Large cracks began to spread across the floor, and she ran to the end of the hallway as a gaping hole chased her the entire length of it. Yoh's bedroom was the last door, and she ran inside screaming, quickly closing the door behind her and leaning against it. She took a deep breath and-

Time stopped for a few moments. Her chest pain dissipated as quickly as it came, and the voices stopped. She sat on the bed slowly but eventually curled into a fetal position against the pillow. The intoxicating scent released from the cotton was mesmerizing. She grabbed the pillow and inhaled as much as she could without choking herself, but this wasn't enough. There was a brown t shirt resting on a nearby chair. She sat up quickly and grabbed it, burying her face into the fabric and taking a deep breath until her lungs were full. His smell was calming. Her anxiety faded as she lowered the t shirt into her lap and smiled.

"It's okay, Yoh," she said aloud. "I understand. I'll take care of it."

She neatly folded the t shirt and placed it on the chair then slowly exited the room. The floor in the hallway was intact this time, and she walked toward the staircase with an expression of determination and complete calm. The dining room was visible as she descended the last few steps, and although she noticed the pool of blood surrounding the woman on the floor was much larger than before she didn't respond.

"Tamao..." She heard her name and glanced at the woman, but she couldn't understand what she was trying to say. Her body trembled, and she took several moments to gasp for air as she held her crimson stained stomach in her hands. The blood from the floor began to saturate the blue strands of her hair, and Tamao knelt beside her for a few seconds in silence.

Pirika reached for her weakly and managed to grab a small section of her shirt, but Tamao backed away and stood over her with a frown.

"T...Tamao," she said again as more blood poured out of her mouth.

"Why are you still alive?" The question was serious, and her emotionless expression was more terrifying than what was said.

The shock seemed to take the rest of her energy. Her hands fell heavily to the floor and she exhaled weakly before closing her eyes. Tamao stared at her motionless body, and her blank eyes did not change. She sighed weakly and walked away to the other side of the table. If she was going to finish it she had to do it quickly.

"Anna?" She knew the woman lying on the floor several feet away from Pirika would not respond, but she felt the need to call her name anyway. "Anna, are you awake?"

There was no answer. Tamao stood over her and leaned into her face. Anna's eyes were still open, and the brief exchange, although silent, began to increase her anxiety again.

"I can't leave you here," she said softly. "Come on. We have to move."

She grabbed Anna's wrists and dragged her heavy body across the floor as quickly as she could until she entered the back yard. Malken had already arrived, and she was relieved to see him.

"What are you doing?" he asked as the panic was evident in his voice.

"We're going to bury her," she replied calmly. "Help me. She's heavy."

"That's not what you said on the phone!" He scratched his head and buried his hands in his pockets nervously. "Tamao, is she dead?"

"No," she shrugged, "not yet."

"How much did you give her?" he demanded. "I told you two ounces would knock her out."

"It doesn't matter," she said dismissively. "Malken, she's really heavy. Get the box."

"I can't," he said nervously. "I can't do this, Tamao! We can't do this! You can't just kill her!"

"She had eight ounces, Malken," she sighed with irritation. "She'll be dead soon anyway."

Malken took a few steps forward and stared at her with widened eyes. "You...you gave her eight ounces?"

"Yeah."

He stared at her with his mouth agape and couldn't seem to project his voice.

"You said you would help me," she sighed. "So, help me."


	6. Quicksand

**6. Ruptured: Quicksand**

Lyserg's working relationship with Ren is dysfunctional and confusing, and after transferring to a new city, the people around him begin to notice.

* * *

Quicksand

Lyserg sat rigidly in the chair and placed his hands lightly against the hard surface of the desk. There was a towering group of papers neatly stacked a few inches in front of his left hand, and he stared at it with noticeable fatigue. The office was busy this time of morning; he could hear the other employees moving through their own respective stacks quickly and making short phone calls to clients and distributors. He was supposed to be clearing the paper, but for some reason the task was exhausting to think about. The group he worked with was small; a room filled with filing cabinets and six desks, including his own. There were no dividers, since the desks were aligned into two rows in the middle, and although his desk was placed at the end of the second row people were beginning to notice he was completely still.

"Lyserg, is everything okay?" He recognized the woman's voice immediately and sighed. Agatha Birch was their leader, although she was not a supervisor in title. She had a habit of hovering over him that developed his first day and treated him mostly like a child. Her short, brown hair was pulled back behind her ears, causing them to stick out in an almost deformed action, and the thick, black framed glasses she wore aged her fifteen years. She reminded him of a school teacher because of the long dresses she wore, and the blue ensemble that adorned her figure today was no exception.

"I'm fine," he said lazily without looking at her.

"If you need help, we can split some among the group," she said cautiously. "I want to get them cleared as soon as possible."

"Sorry," Lyserg sighed apologetically. "I guess I'm a bit slow."

"Well, you're new," she assured him. "It will take time to increase your speed."

A tall, slender man approached the desk quickly and tapped Agatha on the shoulder to get her attention.

"What is it, Bradley?" she asked softly.

"He's here," he replied nervously. "The flight was early. He's heading for this floor."

Agatha seemed rattled by the news, and they both abruptly left the desk. For the next several minutes, Lyserg watched in confusion as the other employees began frantically organizing their areas and removing clutter. He leaned back into the chair without moving anything away from his desk, but no one seemed to notice. Agatha exited the large room, and the other employees froze as the sound of voices and approaching footsteps lingered in the hallway. There was whispering among them, but Lyserg decided he would know what was happening soon enough.

"We're so happy you were able to take time out of your busy schedule to visit us today!" Agatha said nervously as she reentered the room. Two men entered with her without speaking, and all of the employees stood from their desks except for Lyserg.

"In addition to being my assistant, Agatha is also the lead for our order group." Lyserg stared at the man who entered with Agatha blankly. Ernest Shaffer was the Operations Head, and although he did not have much interaction with his new boss, he knew he didn't like him. "Agatha, why don't you introduce Mr. Tao to the group?"

Lyserg wanted to pretend he wasn't standing there, but there weren't enough people in the room to avoid it. Ren did not look at him as Agatha led him to the desks, and he nodded his head in a formal fashion as she began the introductions.

"This is Bradley," she said with a smile and pointed to the first desk.

"It's an honor to meet you, Mr. Tao," he said nervously.

Lyserg rolled his eyes and exhaled.

"That's Susan over there," she continued, "William, Tracy, and Stan."

They continued their nervous salutations, much to Lyserg's disgust, and he looked away when Agatha, Ernest and Ren approached his desk.

"And this is our newest employee, Lyserg," she said finally. "He transferred here from your Tokyo location."

"Lyserg," Ernest said sternly, "this is Mr. Tao."

Lyserg glared into his eyes bitterly but did not speak. Ren maintained the silence for several moments, but his expression was vague.

"Um..." Agatha mumbled under her breath. "He's a bit shy."

"Do you like your position?" Ren asked blankly as his stare increased in intensity.

"Yeah," he replied with as much apathy as he could muster.

Agatha blushed with slight embarrassment from his tone but decided not to speak.

"I'm afraid Lyserg is not aware of how things work here yet," Ernest offered then glared at Lyserg with disdain.

"What's that?" Ren seemed to ignore the explanation as he pointed at the stack of papers.

"Orders," Lyserg replied blankly.

"Why is it so large?"

Agatha swallowed hard as a chill ran down her spine, but she and Ernest remained silent.

"I'm wasting time talking to you instead of working," he groused.

The other employees gasped audibly upon hearing the statement, and Agatha stared at him with widened eyes.

"You'll have to excuse him, Mr. Tao," Ernest stammered weakly. "Apparently he's still adjusting."

"I see," Ren said plainly and slowly exited the room.

Ernest clenched his teeth and briefly closed his eyes. Agatha held her hand over her mouth and took a deep breath.

"If you want to keep your job, apologize," Ernest demanded. "Get out there!"

"There's no need to," Lyserg rebutted calmly.

Ernest could not hide his frustration very well and pulled Agatha into a corner. They were too far away for Lyserg to hear the conversation, but he knew they were talking about him.

"I'm sorry," she said weakly. "I know his attitude can be a problem."

"He's trying to make me look bad," he growled. "I told you!"

"We don't have time for this, Ernest," she sighed. "The meeting is soon. You should focus on that."

He exhaled heavily, and they both exited the room without looking back. "I need you to do a few things before we go in..."

Lyserg stared at the door once it was closed and began tapping his fingers against the surface of the desk when the other employees encircled him. Bradley was the first to speak, and his hesitation revealed nervous agitation.

"Lyserg," he started weakly, "um...do you know who Mr. Tao is?"

"You'll get yourself fired," Tracy added bitterly.

"I'm not worried," Lyserg countered weakly then mumbled under his breath, "...he won't fire me."

"Let's split these," Susan suggested and grabbed a large section of paper from the top of the stack. "We should get them done before Agatha returns from the meeting."

They returned to their desks and said nothing else, and for the next few hours he was completely ignored. Lyserg had no desire to work anymore. His speed was horribly disappointing, but he tried to focus as much as possible. There was a large metal clock resting over the exit door, and while the long hand changed position every time he looked at it the short hand seemed fixed against the ten. Lunch was too far away, and he knew he could not justify escaping to the restroom for two hours. The door opened abruptly and startled him out of this distraction. A well dressed man entered the room with a serious expression, and he ignored the others as he walked quickly to Lyserg's desk.

Lyserg did not recognize the man immediately, but he could tell from his well tailored black suit he was from the Tokyo office.

"We're waiting for you," he said sternly.

"For...what?" Lyserg asked in confusion.

"Mr. Tao has requested your presence in the proposal meeting. You're late."

"I don't attend proposal meetings," he sighed. "I'm a clerk."

"You're wasting time," he demanded. "Get up."

Lyserg stood from the desk slowly and reluctantly followed him into the hallway as the other employees stared. He could hear whispering as the door closed behind him, but he decided not to turn around. The man's long black hair was suddenly familiar, and as they paused to wait for an elevator, Lyserg decided to speak.

"Daisuke," he asked weakly, "why are you here?"

"I always travel with Mr. Tao," he sighed impatiently and began pressing the elevator button repeatedly.

After several seconds the closest elevator opened, and after they stepped inside, Lyserg stared at the floor.

"Why does he want me in this meeting?" he asked hesitantly.

"I don't ask questions, Mr. Diethyl," Daisuke answered quickly.

The remaining moments in the elevator were silent. Lyserg knew Ren's assistant did not participate in small talk, and there was no information he would gain from him anyway. He glanced into the hallway as the elevator doors opened, and Daisuke led him down the long path until reaching a large wooden door. Lyserg paused and his hand trembled slightly as he touched the door handle, but he abruptly stepped inside the large conference room when Daisuke gave him a hard nudge in the back.

Lyserg recognized the executives sitting along the rectangular table immediately. He had not met them personally, but their photos had been plastered over all of the company publications he was forced to read during training. There were six of them on either side of the table; five were women, and the other seven were male including Ernest. Agatha was present as well but was standing with a stack of paper clutched in her hands, and she stared at him with a nervous frown.

"Are you lost?" she whispered.

"Have a seat." Ren was sitting at the head of the table, something Lyserg noticed immediately but did not address.

He obeyed the request without a word, mostly out of embarrassment, and sat in an empty chair nearest the door.

"Mr. Tao," Ernest rebutted, "this is highly unusual-"

"You can continue," he interrupted blankly. "Agatha, give him a copy."

She nodded politely and hesitantly placed a thin packet that was neatly spiral bound in front of him on the table. Lyserg did not want to look at the other people sitting around him since he knew they were staring, so he decided to start reading the book.

Ernest glared at Lyserg with obvious irritation but cleared his throat and stood from his chair. Ren did not appear to be listening to the man as he resumed his presentation; he stared at Lyserg as if waiting for him to finish reading and did not veer his eyes away from him.

"We've already sent it to several focus groups," he heard Ernest say, "and they love it. The Marketing campaign is detailed briefly inside as well."

"Pages twelve through fourteen," Agatha added nervously.

Lyserg skimmed through the book very quickly and closed it softly while staring at the cover. He did not want to lift his head and risk meeting eyes with any of the people at the table.

"With your permission," Ernest continued, "we're ready to proceed."

"What do you think?" Ren asked sternly.

There was brief silence until Lyserg realized he was speaking to him.

"What?" he responded weakly.

"Mr. Tao," Ernest objected, "Lyserg is an order clerk. He has no experience with-"

"I said what do you think about it?" Ren completely ignored the man's statement and did not break his eyes away from Lyserg's startled expression.

"It's...okay." Lyserg hesitated, placing his hands lightly against the table and began folding a corner of the cover page with his pointing finger and thumb.

"He's not familiar with proposals," Ernest pleaded. "Is this really necessary?"

"What do you mean...okay?"

For the next painful seconds, Lyserg held his breath. There was obvious tension in the room he did not want to be a part of, but now that Ren was demanding he speak, he decided something needed to be said. He glanced in Ren's direction while purposely avoiding eye contact and noticed everyone in the room was now staring at him.

"It's...just..." he paused to exhale heavily. "It's boring."

Agatha's eyes broadened as she released a quiet gasp, and a few of the executives began whispering while thumbing through their copies of the booklet. Ernest's annoyed expression was difficult to overlook, although Ren succeeded in completely ignoring him, and he clenched his teeth while tightly clutching his copy in his right hand.

"Elaborate," Ren offered and leaned back slightly into his seat.

"The USA is a very different market from what you're used to," Lyserg sighed and stared at an adjacent wall. "There are other large competitors. So you have to stand out. This is fine, but it's plain and not very different from what's already out there."

The few executives who were no longer staring at him began reading over their copies again and making notes along the margins.

"I'm sure that given your extensive experience in this area, your opinion is highly relevant," Ernest spat bitterly. The response was not planned, but he was so angry he could not contain his silence.

"I was being honest," Lyserg replied defensively then stared at the table.

"Start over," Ren said plainly.

"Excuse me?" Ernest responded in confusion.

"You'll do it again," he explained, "and coordinate with the Marketing department for a new ad campaign as well."

"Mr. Tao, we've been working on this for eight months," he rebutted. "You want us to...discard it?"

"Have the new one on my desk by Friday afternoon," Ren continued. "I expect to be amazed."

"That's three days," Ernest mumbled weakly.

"Are you saying you can't do it?"

The whispering among the executives stopped abruptly, and Agatha took a few steps back toward the door while clutching the paper she was holding tightly against her chest.

"No, Sir," he replied sadly. "That's not what I meant."

"Then let's not waste time discussing it. You should get to work."

Ernest stared at him with a dumbfounded expression, and his mouth stood partially agape. The pause was unintentional, but he could not force himself to move from his frozen stance. Lyserg lifted his eyes from the table and glanced at Agatha who began gathering the booklets from the table.

"Is there anything else?" Ren asked blankly.

"No, Sir," a female executive replied. "The other items will be discussed in our next meeting."

"Then we're done," he added. "You can leave now."

Most of the people at the table left abruptly and waited until reaching the hallway before discussing the events of the meeting. Agatha, Ernest and Lyserg were last to leave. Ernest still appeared in shock, and she did not want to leave him there alone with Lyserg. Ren stood from his chair slowly and glanced at Ernest with apathy before deciding to speak.

"Is there something you want to say, Ernest?" he asked calmly.

"No, Sir," he replied as his voice revealed defeat.

"I'll keep this copy to note the changes," Ren said plainly. "And, if this new proposal is mediocre don't bother sending it to me or coming in to work Friday."

"Yes, Sir," Ernest mumbled.

"Why are you still here?" he sighed. "Get out."

He glared at Lyserg with a bitter scowl then brusquely exited the conference room, resisting the urge to slam the door. Agatha followed closely behind, and Lyserg could hear heated voices in the hallway as the door slowly closed. He stood from his chair and leaned his back wearily against the wall while staring at the door handle.

"Why did you do that?"

"Still pretending you don't know me?" Ren replied calmly.

"I'm a clerk, Ren," Lyserg sighed. "You can't do things like that."

"You don't have to be a clerk if you don't want to," he rebutted. "It doesn't matter to me what you do."

"That's not the point," he mumbled weakly then added with an elevated tone, "I don't know anything about proposals. Ernest has been here for twenty nine years. He worked for your father. You can't just cast him aside like that. It's not fair."

"The proposal was crap," he groaned. "You saw it yourself. This will encourage him to do better work."

"You dismissed him in front of your executives," Lyserg warned. "You disrespected him."

"So, you're saying I hurt his feelings?" Ren asked sarcastically. "He's an adult. If he can't take criticism he should get another job."

"Whatever," Lyserg moaned. "What are you doing here?"

"I visit all of my locations," he replied. "I have an office in each building."

Lyserg stared at the table and folded his arms tightly over his torso. Ren watched him silently for a few moments then walked around the table until he was a few feet away.

"It sounds like you're trying to get away from me," he said softly.

"I am." Lyserg meant to say it but suddenly feared he heard him.

"You don't like it here?" he asked. "I transferred you because you wanted to leave Japan."

"I wanted to quit!" he spat angrily. "I don't want to be here!"

"You always threaten to quit, Lyserg," Ren sighed, "but you never follow through."

Lyserg gawked at him with a frown that was mixed with confusion and rage. Ren's expression was vague in comparison, but his eyes revealed an intensity Lyserg could not counter. They remained silent for several seconds until Lyserg tightly grabbed the sleeve of his shirt with his right fist.

"Are we really going to pretend _that _didn't happen?" he asked with a whisper. "Really?"

"You're being emotional," Ren countered. "You should calm down."

"You know why I'm here!" he growled through clenched teeth. "You made me come here, Ren!"

"There's no reason for you to get worked up," he added.

"You're going to pretend you don't remember what you did to me?" he whimpered.

"Are you crying?" Ren asked with annoyance.

He could not repel the tears that quickly filled his eyes, and he darted his gaze to the floor.

"You're crying," he repeated with an irritated frown.

"I don't want to talk to you," he blurted angrily. "I want you to stay away from me!"

"So dramatic," Ren sighed.

"I can't..." Lyserg paused and began pacing a short distance in front of the table. "I can't deal with this! Just...leave me alone!"

He headed for the door quickly, and as he placed his hand tightly against the handle, Ren took a few more steps toward him.

"I appreciate this intensity, Lyserg," he said calmly, "but just know this is the last time I will allow you to walk away from me."

A heaviness overwhelmed his stomach suddenly as his fingers trembled against the metal. He stared at the door with weary eyes and exhaled.

"Well go on," Ren added encouragingly. "Don't back down now."

Lyserg turned around slowly, releasing his hand from the door, and took a few steps away from it. He peered into Ren's eyes silently and did not speak.

"You were making a grand exit," he continued. "Don't let me stop you."

"I hate you," he whispered weakly.

"You've been saying that so much lately," Ren added. "I'm beginning to think you're serious."

Tears rolled swiftly over his cheeks suddenly, and he quickly wiped his face with the sleeve of his shirt. He remained silent; there was nothing he could say that would be helpful.

"Have I not been good to you?" Ren stepped closer until he was directly in front of him, and Lyserg briefly held his breath. "Am I not taking care of you well enough?"

He did not respond and stared at his neck.

"A small amount of gratitude is not too much to ask," he said softly, "is it?"

Ren wrapped his hand around Lyserg's neck suddenly and slammed the back of his head hard against the wall. Lyserg was visibly startled by the blow but did not defend himself.

"I'll be here all week," he said gently. "When you're done with the temper tantrum let's talk."

Lyserg stared at the table again as the tears returned, but after a long pause, Ren kissed him on the forehead. Nausea rose in the pit of his stomach violently until he was released. Once the door was closed Lyserg collapsed to the floor, curling his knees tightly into his torso and burying his head into his folded arms. He cried for several minutes without giving thought to whether he was heard in the hallway. There was too much mental fatigue to care about something so minor.

After thirty minutes he leaned his back against the wall and stretched his legs out. He could not go back to his desk; there was no energy left to do anything. When the door suddenly burst open, he was startled and jumped quickly to his feet. Ernest stormed inside angrily with Agatha who was pleading with him to go back to his office.

"Don't do this," she said sadly. "Let it go."

"I thought I'd find you here," he said bitterly. "Always doing something else other than work."

"Ernest," Lyserg sighed but was ignored.

"I knew the first day you stepped foot in this building I didn't like you. I knew you were trouble, you manipulative little bastard!"

"Ernest, stop it," Agatha said sadly. "He didn't do anything."

"So I hired a private investigator to check you out two weeks ago," he added, "and he found out some interesting information."

"What?" Lyserg replied and took a step back. His expression revealed confusion, but the tone was mostly exhausted.

Agatha seemed surprised by the news as well and stared at Ernest with a nervous frown.

"When you transferred here, no one in the Tokyo office could even tell me what you did there," he spat. "Not one single person!"

Lyserg stared at the floor like a child being scolded for eating too much candy and did not respond.

"I'm sure the Order group would be pissed to learn that your annual salary is more than all of theirs combined," he said randomly. "Wouldn't they?"

Agatha gasped and stared at Lyserg with shock. She did not speak but held her hand over her mouth with the intention of whispering something under her breath.

"Or that you get consistent raises every six months," he growled. "For what exactly? Who knows?"

Lyserg's silence increased Agatha's discomfort but seemed to fuel Ernest's rage. He took a few steps forward with the intention of getting into his face but stopped a few feet away. Lyserg met his eyes with an ambiguous expression but did not answer his accusations.

"That little act you put on this morning was priceless," Ernest snarled. "Pretending you don't know him, I mean. That's funny, considering where you live."

"Ernest, what are you talking about?" Agatha asked fearfully.

"Agatha, have you seen his flat?" he asked sarcastically. "It's magnificent. I've worked here longer than he's been alive, and I can't afford something like that. But then again, he can't either."

Lyserg's eyes narrowed as he spoke.

"That must be why the flat was purchased by Mr. Tao, and he pays all of the expenses there."

Agatha looked at Lyserg again as her eyes began to fill with tears. She was terrible in uncomfortable situations and did not like confrontations at all. But she wanted to know if all of Ernest's allegations were true, and Lyserg's silence was becoming frustrating.

"He bought the car you're driving as well," Ernest continued. "That's...interesting."

"Say something," Agatha pleaded under her breath.

"Why is he spending so much money, Lyserg?" Ernest demanded. "What possible benefit are you to this company?"

"Please just answer the question," she added eagerly.

"What exactly is your relationship with Mr. Tao? I think I deserve to know," he seethed.

Lyserg stared at the enraged man with wounded eyes, but his silence increased Ernest's frustration.

"Are you deaf now?" he said angrily and pushed him back roughly. "Answer me!"

"Ernest don't touch him," Agatha said quickly.

"You'd better open your mouth and say something," he added furiously and grabbed the collar of his shirt.

"Let go of me." Lyserg's voice was low and frail, and Agatha almost didn't hear him.

The response triggered more rage, and Ernest slammed him by the shirt against the wall. He wanted to punch him but was distracted when the door opened again.

"That's enough, Mr. Shaffer."

Lyserg recognized Daisuke's voice immediately but did not look at him. Agatha closed the door as he walked toward them. She did not want the conversation overheard by people in the hallway.

"Back off," he continued.

Ernest released him and stared at the man with irritated confusion.

"You may not be aware of this now, but you don't want a confrontation with me. I will put you down hard if necessary," he said calmly.

"Ernest back off," Agatha pleaded weakly. "He's Mr. Tao's _assistant_."

She said the word with emphasis as if revealing some kind of unspoken code. Ernest tightened his hands into fists and clenched his teeth.

"This is a private conversation," he growled, "and we're not finished."

"You're done," Daisuke countered. "If you want to keep your job or leave this building in one piece, you'll stop asking questions and walk away."

"Who the hell _are_ you?" Ernest directed the question at Lyserg, and his frustration was melting into fatigue.

"Mr. Diethyl is a valued asset to the Tao Corporation." Daisuke made the statement as a formal recitation. "That's all you need to know."

Lyserg surveyed an adjacent wall weakly to avoid their eyes.

"Mr. Shaffer I must ask that you leave now," he continued. "If I escort you, it will be a painful and humiliating experience. If you comply Mr. Tao won't have to hear about this incident, and you can keep your job."

"Ernest listen to him," Agatha added sadly.

The anger forced a headache that was growing painful. Ernest's eyes were filled with wrath as he stared angrily at Lyserg, and his vague expression increased his frustration. Daisuke took another step forward and opened his suit jacket, revealing a large handgun resting against his side.

"This doesn't have to get ugly, Sir," he added. "Take a walk."

Agatha watched anxiously as Ernest slowly exited the conference room with Daisuke close behind. There was silence for several moments, and she was reluctant to speak.

"I'm sorry for...that," Lyserg said wearily. "It wasn't my intention to make a scene."

"Who are you to Mr. Tao?" she asked gravely and clutched her hands over her chest.

Lyserg paused and stared into her eyes with a fatigued expression. She wasn't moving, and he knew silence would not satisfy her. But in that moment he decided the shortest answer would be best.

"It's complicated," he sighed.


	7. Itch

**7. Ruptured: Itch**

Horo has worked hard to be Tamao's most trusted friend, and when she becomes drunk at a party this gives him a chance to save her. Things would be perfect between them except for one nagging reality. Yoh is always in the way.

* * *

Itch

Horo lay quietly in his bed staring at the ceiling. The house was mostly silent. Pirika was out on a dinner date with Ren, and Yoh had been out for several hours somewhere with Anna. Ryu and Manta were watching television in the sitting room, but Horo was sure they were probably asleep by now. He glanced at the clock that rested on a small nightstand near the bed and exhaled.

Eleven thirty two pm.

It wasn't as late as he thought, which may have been why he couldn't sleep. He scratched his forehead lightly with one finger and flexed his toes. The laziness was addictive. Maybe if he could close his eyes he would be able to doze off for a few hours and he would feel better. He rolled over onto his side and glanced at the door. He was so...bored.

The sudden ringing of his cell phone startled him, and he sat up in the bed. He stared at it as the phone repeated the tone three times then slowly picked it up.

"Hello?"

"_Horo, hey. It's me, Ellie."_

"Oh, hi." He cleared his throat. "What's that noise?"

"_Uh, yeah, I'm at a party,"_ she said. _"I tried calling Yoh, but he didn't answer...so I left a message. Listen..."_ She paused.

"What's up?"

"_Tamao's here."_

"Huh? How did she get there?"

"_Uh, I don't know...but...I think you should come get her."_

"What's wrong?"

There was mumbling in the background and the sound of blaring music as she paused.

"_Horo, she's wasted."_

"...What?"

"_And...she's getting a lot of attention. You know what I mean? She's making a scene, and lots of guys are noticing. You should get over here."_

He jumped out of the bed. "Where are you?"

"_I'll send you the address. It's not that far from Yoh's house."_

"Keep an eye on her," he said as stress filled his voice. "I'm on my way."

Horo disconnected the call abruptly and scrambled around his room to find clothes. He pulled on a pair of navy sweatpants and a gray t shirt then bolted out of his room and down the hallway. When he reached the sitting room he noticed Manta and Ryu fast asleep on the sofa, and there were keys lying on a nearby table in front of the television. He grabbed them without thought; Ryu wouldn't care about Horo borrowing his car anyway. If he needed to get home he could ride with Manta, and Horo would explain everything in the morning.

The address Ellie gave him was in a neighborhood that was heavy populated with university students. They had numerous parties on several occasions and often invited women from other areas to participate. He couldn't understand how Tamao was involved in this, but he intended to find out. In the past he would often lecture her, warning that she should never go to any of the parties no matter how many times she was invited. Tamao had the tendency to be extremely gullible and naïve for her age, and this worried Horo more than anything else. He hoped Ellie was watching her. Random thoughts filled his brain; images of Tamao with random and strange men itching for the opportunity to take advantage of her. He couldn't stomach something like that. He needed to get there fast.

Horo parked in front of the house, and as he walked to the front door there were random people in the grass laughing and waving their hands erratically. A few women waved at him with cheerful smiles, and one asked him if he had a girlfriend. He ignored them. His tunnel vision wouldn't allow him to be distracted. As he opened the door the smell of booze and cigar smoke hit him in the face, and he covered his nose with his arm. He moved through the crowded house as quickly as possible. There were women grabbing at his shirt and laughing as he passed by. They saw he was a new face, and that was exciting. He noticed there weren't any men in the first room, and this thought scared him. Tamao was nowhere in sight, and he couldn't stop himself from thinking of the absolute worst.

"Horo!" He heard Ellie's voice somewhere in the crowd, but the dimly lit room was too difficult for him to see her. She grabbed his arm and pulled him into an adjacent hallway. "You're here!"

"Where is she?" His voice was littered with worry.

"She just went upstairs with some guy."

"And you didn't stop her?"

"What was I supposed to do?" She raised her hands in the air. "There were too many people, and I couldn't follow them."

He left her before she could finish the sentence. His only concern was finding Tamao; he didn't have time for an explanation. There was a couple groping each other on the staircase as he ran up the steps. He tripped at the top and stumbled into the hallway, but he recovered quickly when he heard the sound of hysterical laughing.

"Tamao." He recognized her voice immediately and searched every room he passed with growing desperation. Each scene was the same. Random people full of drugs and alcohol rolling around like idiots and taking off their clothes. How did she get there? Why was she there? Anger and worry flooded his senses as he kicked open the last door at the end of the hallway and abruptly stepped inside.

She was sitting on the edge of a small bed when he entered. There was a man Horo didn't recognize sitting beside her and was whispering something in her ear she found extremely hilarious. She didn't seem aware his hands were all over her, and Horo could tell by the volume and intensity of her laughter that she was incapacitated.

"Hey, who are you?"

"Horo!" Tamao saw that he was standing in front of her and smiled at him. "Hi! This is my friend." She turned to him with a confused frown. "Um...what's your name again? I can't remember."

"Get the hell away from her." Horo charged toward the bed and grabbed Tamao by the arm.

"Hey, man! What's your problem? We were just having fun."

"It's a party, Horo!" Tamao jerked away from him. "Come on! We're going to have fun...or something...I don't know. But we're supposed to be doing something...I think?"

Horo grabbed her by the waist and hurled her over his shoulder, carrying her like a sack of potatoes out of the bedroom.

"Um..." Her hair fell over her head, and she waved her hands. "Bye! We're going somewhere else! I don't know if I'll be back. Bye my friend...whatever your name is! You were very nice!"

Ellie watched with her mouth agape as she caught a glimpse of Horo carrying Tamao down the stairs. There were people on the first floor cheering him on as he made his way into the living room, and Ellie pushed her way through the crowd to get closer.

"Is she okay?" She said it with guilty eyes.

"Hi, Ellie!" Tamao called cheerfully. There were pink strands wildly strewn over Horo's back, and Ellie couldn't see her face. "I'm okay! I'm okay!"

"Thanks for calling me," Horo said sternly. "I'm taking her home."

"What? No!" She hit his back with her hands. "I don't wanna go home! I'm having fun! Stop being a meanie!"

"I...don't know what she had," Ellie said gravely. "Maybe you should take her to the hospital."

"I'll figure it out. Thanks."

Carrying her to the car was a monumental task. She wailed hysterically like a kid having a tantrum and hit him several times in the back while kicking her feet. There were people exiting the house and opening the windows to watch the display, but he didn't care they were making a scene.

"Stop it! Put me down, you meanie!"

He ignored her for the most part until he was in front of the car. Horo released her, and she stumbled when her feet touched the ground. She leaned against the car as dizziness overwhelmed her, and although her hair hid most of her face, he knew she was glaring at him with a frown.

"Get in the car," he demanded.

"Fine."

He was surprised she obeyed him so easily. She sat in the passenger seat, and he closed the door when she leaned back into the headrest. Horo sat in the driver's seat and placed both hands on the steering wheel while taking a deep breath.

"Put your seat belt on."

"No," she whined. "It's too tight. It's gonna pop my head off."

"We'll have a party at your house, okay? Just put your seat belt on so we can go."

"Okay!"

He drove for a few minutes without speaking. Tamao was humming a random song and shaking her head in a weird fashion, which further added to his anxiety. She slapped her bare thighs with her hands without giving any care to the skirt she was wearing. The hem bounced higher and higher the more she slapped at it, and since her eyes were closed she didn't seem to notice.

"What did you drink at that party?" Horo asked gravely.

"Uh...it was punch," she said. "Red punch. It...it tasted like fruit. It was so sweet!"

"How many cups did you have?"

"It was one or...eight...yeah I think eight...or nine. Something like that." She rocked her head and smiled. "It tasted like fruit! It was so good!"

"What the hell was in that punch?" He mumbled the question, and she didn't hear him. "I think I should take you to the hospital, just to make sure you're okay."

"No! I don't wanna go to the doctor! I don't like him."

"If I take you to the hospital, they'll make sure you're okay."

"Don't take me to the doctor!" She clutched her skirt tightly in her hands. "I don't like him. He'll hit me and put me in the closet."

"What are you talking about?" He couldn't look at her; he had to keep his eyes on the road.

"It's dark in there. I don't like it."

"The...closet?"

"And he won't give me any food. I don't wanna go."

"What's his name?" He was confused. "This doctor?"

"Dr. Tamamura," she said. "I don't like him."

"Your father?" He scratched his neck nervously and stared out of the windshield with startled eyes.

"I'll get in trouble if you take me." She stomped her feet against the floorboard. "He'll say I've been bad. I'm always bad. And I'm stupid. He'll hit me."

Horo didn't respond immediately. Tamao never talked about her family, and he knew nothing of her past before she was adopted by the Asakuras. He wasn't sure if her inebriated state was facilitating this. She seemed unaware of her age.

"Please don't tell him." Her eyes filled with tears. "I don't wanna get in trouble."

"Okay," he sighed. "We don't have to go to the hospital. I'll take you home."

"Yay!" She raised her fists in the air. "Wow! It's so orange! So pretty!"

"What? What is?"

"EVERYTHING!"

"I don't think it's alcohol in your system Tamao. You sound...high."

"So pretty." She was staring out of the passenger window and completely ignored him. "So...orange."

"Tamao-"

"Yoh likes oranges. I don't know why he likes them so much, but he loves them. He eats them all the time." She frowned. "He's so stupid. Stupid Yoh."

"Stupid?"

"He wants to marry her? Why would he marry her?" She blinked her eyes rapidly and stared at the dashboard. "She has blond hair. It's so plain. And she's skinny...she's so bony. It's stupid. She doesn't even have boobs."

"He's engaged because he loves her, Tamao." Horo was amused by her honesty. She never gave an opinion about Yoh's engagement until now, and her erratic perspective was interesting.

"I have boobs! See?" She squeezed them through her thin shirt. "See, Horo? See my boobs?"

"Yeah, I see them."

"She doesn't even have any. It's stupid!"

He laughed unexpectedly. Tamao's demeanor was very entertaining, and the worry began to subside.

"So pretty! So orange!" She resumed the song without a pause.

Horo parked the car in front of Tamao's house, and she ran out onto the dirt path with her hands in the air. She explained she was attempting to fly, and she wanted him to join her. He suggested they go inside instead, and she quickly acquiesced. She leaned onto his chest as he pulled off her shoes and ran up and down the hallway at full speed as he slipped off his sneakers at the front door.

"You have way too much energy," he said with a smirk.

She stopped a few feet in front of him and grabbed his arm. "Come dance with me, Horo! Come on!"

He sat in a wooden chair near the hallway instead as she waved her hands to an imaginary beat he didn't hear. There was something erotic about the way she swayed her hips in front of him and rubbed her arms like she was cold. He found himself unable to stop watching her. Pink strands feathered over her shoulders and down her back as she rocked her neck back and forth, and he stared at her thighs as she ran her fingers up the length of her legs. The skirt was much higher than before, but she didn't notice she was exposing a glimpse of her red panties with each swing.

"Hot," she mumbled under her breath. "It's hot in here."

She pushed the skirt off of her hips, and it fell onto the floor with a light thud at her feet. Her panties were exposed and her thighs blistered with goosebumps as the cool air in the house surrounded them. The shirt was removed next. She threw it onto the floor and raised her arms in the air in excitement. The lace bra she wore matched the panties. It was absolutely beautiful, and Horo stared at it for several minutes as she began spinning around and humming to herself. She stopped spinning abruptly and stumbled from the imbalance. Her hair covered most of her back, and he was unable to see her hidden face.

"Horo?"

"Yeah?"

"Let's do something else." Her tone was overly seductive, something that was unexpected and uncomfortable.

"Like...what?"

She turned around and stared at him with an expression that made her seem completely sober. His heart raced through his chest as she paused, and she walked toward the chair with soft footsteps that made him hold his breath.

"You're so handsome," she said randomly. "So...hot."

"What?" It was a whisper, but audible.

"You wanted me all to yourself, right? That's why we couldn't stay at the party?"

"You're high. I was trying to help you."

"It's okay." She sat on his lap. "It's fine with me."

Horo couldn't say anything else. She kissed him delicately on the cheek then rested her head on his shoulder. "You're so strong, Horo. You're so manly."

"You should...get some sleep." He couldn't hide the anxiety in his voice. "Let me put you to bed."

"Okay."

"What? No, that's...I mean...that's not what I meant."

"Horo."

"You need to rest. You should sleep this off." He was rambling but couldn't control it.

"Horo." She was rubbing his chest with her hand and whispered his name in his ear. "Stop."

He paused and closed his eyes.

"Do you want me?"

"Yes."

She kissed him softly on the lips, and his entire body trembled. He held her tightly in his arms and kissed her back. Her skin was so smooth. Her body felt so warm against his shirt...against his bare chest.

_Where's my shirt? _He dismissed the thought immediately. She pushed her tongue awkwardly in his mouth, but it was enough pressure to force a moan out of him. Tamao was seducing him, and he was falling fast.

Too fast.

He pushed her back abruptly and stared at her neck.

"What? What are you doing?" She was whining and began rubbing his shoulders lightly with her hands.

"I don't want to do this," he sighed. "We shouldn't do this."

"Yes you do. Liar."

"That's..." He cursed under his breath. "That's not the point. I'm saying-"

"But you want to, and I want to."

"Listen to me," he was frustrated. "I can't. We can't. I mean it."

"We've done it before," she protested. "You didn't say no before."

"That was a completely different situation." He was suddenly embarrassed.

"No it wasn't."

"Tamao," he sighed and bit his bottom lip, "it was different. You were upset because Yoh got engaged, and I was trying to be there for you...and we got carried away..."

Why was he explaining this to her? Tamao stared at him with blank eyes that revealed her opinion. She didn't care about anything he was saying.

"The point...is..."

_What's my point?_

"Look...I told you it was a mistake then and it would never happen again." He briefly closed his eyes. "Do you remember that? I said I wouldn't put myself in this situation ever again. So I can't just..."

She wasn't listening. He sighed.

"Why are you so scared?" She was whispering, and her eyes widened as she stared at his eyebrows.

"I'm not...scared."

Tamao kissed him again, and he exhaled into her mouth. This wasn't going well. He didn't want to fight her. Although she was under the influence, she was exactly right. He wanted this more than anything.

"Let's forget about all of that tonight," she said and waved her hand in the air, "and you can go back to staying away from me in the morning. Okay?"

She stood up and took a few steps into the hallway. He was still sitting in the chair, and his hands were trembling.

"I won't take it off," she said and pointed to the bra. "I'll let you do it, okay?"

He swallowed hard.

As she walked slowly down the hallway she was humming a song and snapping her fingers. She giggled to herself as she reached her bedroom, and before opening the door she smiled at him. Horo slapped his face with his hand. Was he really going to do this? He couldn't hear that voice that had been screaming at him earlier to stop. She was half naked in her bedroom and waiting for him. How did he end up in this situation again?

The front door was opening; he could hear the clanging of keys, and the latch was turning. He stood quickly from the chair and stared at it with confusion when the door opened.

"Tamao?" Yoh stormed inside and closed the door. He stared at Horo for a few moments in silence as his worried expression shifted quickly into a frown.

"You...have a key?"

"Where's your shirt?"

He scratched his stomach lightly and blinked his eyes without a response.

Yoh walked passed him and aggressively bumped his shoulder as he headed down the hallway. "Tamao?"

"She's fine," Horo said with irritation and followed him. They entered the bedroom at the same time. Horo stood near the door, and Yoh walked in front of the bed.

She was fast asleep; the blanket and sheets were twisted around one of her legs like she had been rolling around a few times, but Yoh didn't notice. He was more bothered...angry that she was only wearing a bra and panties. Her hair covered most of her face, and she was lying on her stomach against the pillow.

"Where the hell are her clothes?" Yoh clenched his teeth and slowly turned around.

"She took them off."

"_You_ took them off."

"What?"

He charged him and shoved him violently into the hallway. Horo hit his back against the wall and clenched his teeth.

"What the hell did you do to her?" Yoh demanded angrily.

"I didn't do anything!"

"She's drunk, and you would just take advantage of that? What the hell is wrong with you?"

"I didn't do anything, Yoh."

"If you ever touch her again, Horo, I swear-"

"Yoh?"

He left Horo abruptly in the hallway and sat on the bed. "Are you okay?"

"Um...yeah. I'm okay."

Yoh pulled her hair gently away from her face and kissed her forehead. "I'll stay with you so you can sleep it off, okay?"

"Okay," she said with her eyes closed.

He glared at Horo who was still standing in the hallway. "You're not needed here, Horo. Go home."

"Oh no, wait!" Tamao clutched the pillow in her hands. "My bra! He has to stay so he can take off my bra."

"Just rest, Tamao," he said and rubbed her back. "I'll help you."

"Okay...okay fine."

He left her when she drifted off again and slowly entered the hallway. Horo was in the living room pulling his t shirt over his head. Yoh walked into the room swiftly and tightened his hands into fists.

"I won't let you take advantage of her," he growled. "Ever."

Horo bitterly closed his eyes but didn't respond.

"Ellie told me you picked her up from the party. I was concerned. And I see now I was right."

"You don't know what you're talking about."

"It doesn't even matter if she's drunk, Horo? You'll take her any way you can?"

"She's not your property, Yoh." He wanted to punch him so badly. "I'm a better friend to her than you'll ever be, and that makes you sick."

"No, you make me sick. You pretend to be her friend like you're trying to wear her down. You're so consumed with trying to sleep with her you'll do anything to make it happen. How do I know you weren't the one who got her drunk in the first place?"

"Go to hell," he said abruptly and walked away.

"I'm warning you, Horo. Back off, or I'll make you back off."

Horo was standing at the door with his hand on the handle when he heard it and his entire body tensed with rage.

"Yoh?" Tamao was half awake again. "Yoh? Where did you go? Come look at the bunnies! They're so cute and fluffy! Fluffy bunnies!"

Yoh didn't respond immediately. He was staring at Horo's back with an angered frown.

"Yoh?"

Horo didn't speak and left the house, slamming the door violently with his exit.


End file.
